Formulas
Just as the action of a single herb is different from the individual actions of its constituents or so-called active ingredients, the total action of a formula is different from the action of its individual herbs. It is no different from the effect of cooking with foods; a complete dish is different from its individual ingredients. The ingredients blend to form a new creation.
Even if you’re not going to design herbal formulas, you may take more than one herb at the same time. When you do this, you are creating a formula, because the herbs interact with each other. Basically, some herbs will enhance or increase the activity of each other, whereas other herbs will counteract or diminish each other’s effects.
This is largely based on simple common sense. For instance, if one mixes an herb that stimulates the peristalsis of the colon with an herb that restrains the peristalsis of the colon, one cannot claim that the mixture will cure both diarrhea and constipation. Quite the contrary: the contradictory actions may result in the formula being good for neither.
Formulas vs Singles
Herbs can b used as single remedies in much the same way that homeopathic remedies are. Each herb has a unique combination of actions and properties and when a person’s overall symptom picture very closely matches that of a single herb, very powerful effects can b created using single remedies.
Using herbs in this manner requires a great deal of knowledge and skill, however. Most herbalists give their clients more than one remedy, which means they are creating a custom formula for the client. So herbs are more often used in combinations than they are as singles.
Most herb books focus primarily on single herbs, but ironically, it’s harder for a beginner to see results with single herbs than with well-crafted herbal formulas.
Formulas combine many herbs that work on multiple causes of a problem. Using St. John’s wort, an herb that is often used for depression, as an example, we would find that it would help a person’s depression only if it is the kind of depression that St.. John’s wort works best on (depression related to anxiety and intestinal problems).
However, if we mix several herbs together that work on several different underlying causes of depression, a person is more likely to get at least some benefit. This is partially because the formula is composed of herbs that address multiple potential root causes of a problem. It is also partly because the synergy of the ingredients often enhances the basic action, and because the multiple ingredients tend to counteract some of the other effects of the single herbs, which also lessens the chance of the remedy throwing the body out of balance in other ways.
Michael Moore made the point that single herbs have subtle and deep actions. Combinations tone down those subtleties to a gray background noise and leave the predominant effects of the herb intact. The literature of the Eclectics, a group of medical doctors who used herbs in the nineteenth century, emphasized utilizing the subtle effects of the herbs and matching all of a person’s problems to one herb. However, in actual practice, they frequently resorted to tried and true formulas.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also relies heavily on formulas. Basic formulas are used for certain situations, with the ingredients being modified to fit individual needs.